Fairphone has brought its latest handset, the Fairphone 6 Plus, to the US market, and a reviewer鈥檚 early testing suggests it finally performs like a standard midrange Android device. The phone is sold directly by Fairphone in the US, with support for T-Mobile and AT&T, and the review noted it worked with a Verizon SIM during a week of testing, though it is not certified on that network. A previous Fairphone model was available in the US, but that version shipped with a privacy-focused operating system and carried a higher price. This new model is a light update to last year鈥檚 Fairphone 6, retaining the same basic design and interchangeable replacement parts while adding a newer Snapdragon chipset and a new color option.
The phone is priced at $649, which the review acknowledges is high for a midrange device, but it argues the cost is more reasonable given current memory-related price pressures across the industry. That price includes 12GB of RAM, a five-year warranty, and up to six operating system upgrades. The reviewer notes this is far less than the $899 US price of the earlier Fairphone model, which was only sold with a de-Googled version of Android. The Fairphone 6 Plus runs a near-stock version of Android without extra software features.
A central selling point is the phone鈥檚 repairability, with 12 user-replaceable parts including the battery, screen, USB-C port, and all cameras. The review describes the repair process as beginner-friendly, requiring only a small screwdriver and simple directions. Replacement part costs are notably lower than typical repair bills for other brands, with a new battery listed at $39.99 and a new display at $89.99. The review contrasts those prices with typical battery replacements that can cost over $100 and screen repairs that can reach several hundred dollars.
In daily use, the reviewer found the phone鈥檚 battery life to be acceptable, typically finishing a day of light-to-moderate use with about 60 percent charge remaining, even with power-draining features enabled. The concern about long-term battery degradation is mitigated by the ability to replace the battery at home. The Snapdragon chipset handled routine tasks well, though the reviewer noticed minor stuttering in some applications and graphics-heavy games. The camera system was described as adequate for basic use, producing acceptable daylight photos and passable portrait shots, though the ultrawide lens showed noise in low-light conditions.
The phone does come with tradeoffs, including an IP55 rating that offers limited protection against dust and water, no wireless charging, and a screen that is not as bright in direct sunlight as some competitors. The review also notes the speakers sound tinny and the power button, which houses the fingerprint scanner, sits flush with the phone鈥檚 side, making it hard to locate without looking. Despite these drawbacks, the reviewer emphasized that the Fairphone 6 Plus feels like a typical midrange phone, which is a significant achievement for a company historically known for requiring users to accept greater compromises in exchange for ethical sourcing and repairability.
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